Juan Ayuso returns to racing at the Tour Auvergne Rhne-Alpes 2026 after several months away from competition since his last appearance at the Itzulia. The Spanish rider approaches the French race with optimism, aware it will be an important week to regain rhythm and keep building towards one of his...

The new bike features a host of changes

Paul Seixas approaches the start of the Tour Auvergne Rhne-Alpes 2026 with optimism after a build-up that, he said, unfolded smoothly and left the team with good sensations. On the eve of the race, the rider answered Cycling Pro Nets questions about his form, preparation, and the teams expectatio...

Wout van Aert has admitted that he suffered a crash in training on Monday, leaving him with bandages on his right knee and elbow at the beginning of stage 1 of the TourAuvergne-Rhne-Alpes. The Team Visma | Lease a Bike star returns to racing for the first time since his emphatic Paris Roubaix vict...

Our eagle-eyed reporter has been on the hunt at the Tour Auvergne-Rhne-Alpes

The designers got the crayons out to hide the details

Pello Bilbao approaches the start of the Tour Auvergne Rhne-Alpes 2026 with a blend of optimism and caution after a final week of prep marked by some health issues. The Bahrain Victorious rider acknowledged he has not arrived in ideal condition, though he trusts the work banked over recent months....

New Bontrager Aeolus RSL climbing wheels have been spotted fitted to Trek-Segafredo team bikes ahead of stage one of the Tour Auvergne-Rhne-Alpes. Currently Bontrager lists 37, 51, 62 and 75mm deep versions of its Aeolus RSL wheelsets, and two other Pro spec wheelsets with wider 25mm internal rim diameters. The new wheels feature carbon spokes. Ashley Quinlan / Our Media The new wheels feature updated branding, but they are materially different in that they feature carbon spokes a first for Bontragers wheelset lineup. Carbon spokes are gaining popularity in the pro peloton currently, with purported benefits for weight and stiffness, while various team mechanics have claimed to BikeRadar that theres an increasing belief that concerns around reliability have been addressed. The rims are 'just' 21mm wide internally, and remain hooked. Ashley Quinlan / Our Media The supplier of the spokes is unknown, but they look similar to Vonoa spokes used by many other brands. These rims appear to be evolutions of the Bontrager Aeolus RSL 37 wheelset, continuing to use a 21mm internal rim diameter. Bontrager has also stuck with a hooked rim design, indicated by the 'TC' (tubeless crotchet) demarcation all other things being equal, hookless rims are said to be marginally lighter due to the absence of a hook, but Bontrager has stayed firm here. The team is using lightweight Tripeak hub shells. Ashley Quinlan / Our Media 21mm is narrow by modern standards, but the lower width should result in a low rim weight regardless of the presence of a hook. The hubs on these wheels arent Bontrager-spec, though. Instead, Trek-Segafredo is using Tripeak hub shells a supplier of lightweight accessories to many teams in an attempt to cut further weight. The team was tight-lipped when asked for details before the race start, so well report on their availability and any further design tweaks in due course.

The TourAuvergne-Rhne-Alpes may only be underway just a few hours, but Paul Seixas has been dealt a blow for his general classification hopes after a key teammate was forced to abandon the race. Arriving with lofty ambitions of a GC charge in the WorldTour race, the 19-year-old is hoping to underl...